Scout leader arrested for allegedly possessing child pornography

ROY, Utah — A Boy Scout leader from Weber County is behind bars on charges of possessing child pornography.

FOX 13 News talked with neighbors, who said they didn’t really know Bruce Carter, but news that he was arrested for child porn has them speaking out.

Bruce Carter is a Boy Scout leader and part-time cashier at the Layton City Surf-N-Swim recreation center, or at least he was. Now, the 49 year old is charged with seven counts of exploitation of a minor for allegedly possessing child porn.

Lt. Mark Lowther of the Weber County Sheriff’s Office said they got an internet tip concerning porn use.

That led police to Carter’s home in Roy Thursday night, right across from Roy Junior High school.

Neighbors heard the activity when police came to their neighborhood.

“I got up because I could hear car doors, and I look out, and we’re completely surrounded by cars, men going in with guns,” said neighbor Marilynn Shadbolt.

Weber County sheriff’s detectives searched the home.

“They had sacks, putting sacks full of stuff in and they left,” Shadbolt said. “But, I was glad, cause it scared me. I don’t like stuff like that.”

Police said they found pornographic images of children. There were 22 images in all that police allegedly found on a computer disc and a thumb drive. Lowther said it appears the images were not taken by the suspect.

“As far as I’m aware of right now, the images that he was in possession of are existing files that have been shared on the internet,” he said. “I’m not aware that he possessed any ones he’s actually taken.”

Police confirmed that Carter is a troop leader with the Boys Scouts of America.

The Trapper Trails Council in Ogden released this statement: “As soon as we were made aware of the charges against Mr. Carter by law enforcement, immediate steps were taken by the council to revoke his registration and prevent his ability to ever again register with the Boy Scouts of America.”

Meanwhile, police said there is no evidence he abused any scouts.

Carter has been suspended from his job at the recreation center, pending the outcome of the investigation. But for now, Layton officials said they’re confident he had no interactions with children while he was working for them.

“The hours he worked were lap swims and our senior aerobics and our deep water aerobics, and had there been children there they would have been there with coaches,” said Steve Garside, who is an assistant Layton City attorney.